Slovakia v Republic of Ireland - 8th October 2020 - Euro 2020 Playoff Semi Final

[elatedscum]

That wasn’t a bad performance at all. It was much improved from the previous two games.

Defensively we were good. Randolph had one save to make and made it well, handled all the basic stuff well too. Duffy did excellently for the other Slovakia chance. It was pure defensive instinct. Same with a header he made late on, where, had he not read it, they would have been in. Egan was excellent too. Read the game excellently and snuffed out chances before the began. Doherty was much improved from the previous 2 games. Stevens was very good.

As for the midfield, mixed, we had sustained periods of domination and equally periods where they passed around us comfortably. Significantly though, through those moments they never created anything from those moments.

McCarthy did the basics well. Was a solid performance without being great, better than the last one I think. Put a shift in, did good defensive work and kept the ball moving. Unfortunate to get injured.

Hourihane, needs to score there. If it comes to him on his left, it’s a goal. Still, can’t miss it. I’m sure he’ll be kicking himself. The early yellow card might have hindered him, in terms of being able to tackle and do what midfielders need to be able to do. No idea what it was for, descent maybe? Great delivery for the free-kick that Hamsik nearly put in his own net, extremely difficult to defend. We were unlucky that the ref seemed determined to give a free-kick for every header we challenged for, all night. Even the one where duffy won the ball and got punched in the head.

Hendrick had one of his better performances in recent times. I still feel he needs to be willing to shoot 15-22 yards from goal. He had at least 3 opportunities. One inside the box, where he could have turned and shot and the others, outside the box where once it sat up to shoot and he didn’t take in, and the other the space opened up to shoot as he was dribbling but he didn’t cut inside. He did a lot of good things and linked up well at times but he was also infuriating at times. He gave away the ball terribly at least 6 times. There was 2 passes straight out of play, there was the backward pass to a Slovakian where they broke and 1 bad cross field pass to Robinson which was intercepted and 2 really careless short passes. The Robinson crossfield one really annoyed me because McGoldrick made a great run to give him an easier option and instead he played a needlessly difficult pass. About a minute later, McClean hit that clearance/pass down the line to no one and I thought to myself “Why didn’t that annoy me half as much as Hendrick?” and I realised that I know McClean, I know his strengths and his flaws and I’ve come to expect those mistakes - but Hendrick 2014-16 showed that he is a much better footballer than he’s displayed since, it feels criminal. He was knackered at the end and should have been subbed after 90 mins.

As for Browne, he should score both chances. The first one, he has to go back across the keeper, I can’t understand how he goes near post. It’s an easy finish back across the keeper. Second one where he hits the post is unlucky but getting the ball in that position, just like Hourihane, you’ve got to score. Decent performance though and first time we’ve seen him playing for Ireland that far up the pitch, I remember O’Neill playing him sitting in front of the back 4. At least he was able to get into those positions. I will say one thing. If Jack Byrne received those 2 Browne chances and the Hourihane chance, I’d put money on him scoring all 3. Not saying he’s necessarily the answer, just an observation.

McGoldrick was excellent. His hold up play, the use of his body, his intelligence, creativity and work rate. Best player on the pitch. Looking back, you’d have to be very critical of Martin O’Neill for failing to get him into the side...

Thought Robinson was bright and quick and lively, the only real pace we had with Connolly missing out. Did a lot right. Think he’s earning that starting spot. O’Dowda did well for that one move, really created the move.

McClean was industrious as ever. Harried and hassled well in the first half. Worked his ****** off. That sprint back in the 44th minute. I thought it was actually a good sign, when the Slovakian took the shot, we had 9 players back in our own box. I know we were 3v2 initially and looked vulnerable but 6 players bust themselves to get back and cover. The type of thing you’d see from a Bielsa team. The shot he pulled wide was heading straight to Robinson before it was blocked. It wasn’t a great performance but it was an improvement on the last few years since he lost a touch of acceleration. Won some good free kicks, covered Stevens when he got dragged out of position, played a bit of football and made himself a nuisance. Once he got the booking, he was always a risk and I think it was the right move to take him off. Brady was good and bad, a bit more good. Still think he wasn’t 100%, there was one run back where he looked like he was struggling for air and was really slow.

Really think Connolly coming off the bench against tired legs could have cause havoc and could have scored goals.

Re penalties, watched it with my father and said I didn’t want Browne or Doherty taking them before they began. Browne first. I remember a game I played in, ball came across box and I tried to go back across the keeper, I hit it hard and well but he was a little slow getting across the goal and was able to throw a flailing leg and somehow turn it around the post. I was so angry with myself. 5 mins later, we won a penalty, I was supposed to take it and I rejected it, the only time ever. I felt that keeper had somehow won a psychological battle. I also felt like that miss let everyone down and the pressure of the earlier miss made the prospect of missing a penalty so much worse. It was the only time I didn’t feel confident taking a penalty. That’s how I felt about Browne. He’d failed to score twice. He’s a youngish player, trying to establish himself as an international, he had the opportunity to create history on three occasions, the miss 1v1 against the keeper was one which gave the keeper an edge and the post was a real mental blow. I’d believe he went up there thinking about missing and the keeper saw him coming and thought he can’t score tonight. The penalty itself was unconvincing. Didn’t hit a corner. Good height to be saved. Wasn’t smashed to the point of unstoppable. Really poor penalty.

Doherty, because of the hamstring. If there’s something off, even in your standing leg, if you’re worrying about it, it can effect what you’re gonna do. Anything that changes your natural rhythm isn’t good.

There was an opportunity to bring on another sub. After 120 mins the legs are gonna be dead, I’d much rather fresh legs taking a penalty. I did suggest (not sure how seriously really) that I’d sub Randolph at that last throw in and bring on Travers, who has saved a lot of penalties in shootouts. Actually might not have been the worst idea...

Overall though, it’s progress. It was a good performance away from home. I think it’s fair to judge SK after we’ve completed the World Cup qualification. He’s probably had about 5 days of actually training time with the players across the two windows so far. He needs time and patience. I’d like to see Byrne and Cullen used at some point from the start, to get a sense how they handle it. I’d also like to see Shane Long start one game. Not scoring enough goals is a huge problem, Robinson probably won’t score many on the right, compared to the left, where he can cut inside or the centre where he’s scoring at the moment. O’Dowda and McClean don’t really look like they’ll score at all these days. McGoldrick’s intelligence and movement creates chances for others but we’ve got to be creative in coming up with ways to get other players into positions where they can score. Shane Long’s pace, strength and directness could offer something, maybe. I don’t really know how, whether on one of the wings, but filling the space McGoldrick creates when he can or what but maybe something will click or they can figure out something.

[DCWA]

Who really cares we missed out on a Euros that is likely to be behind closed doors anyway? Complete waste of time if we probably won’t even be able to gather to watch it at home either.

Write it off take the positives we can from it and let Stephen build. We have to refer back to Michael O’Neill’s first year or so with the IFA
team, that should be the precedent for the “give him time” approach because knowing both of them from LOI in terms of revitalising a team and transforming them both in terms of style of play and in terms of how they approach games and tournaments SK is miles ahead of MON.

The FAI need to step and give him unconditional medium to long term backing and let him oversee Irish football. Euro 2021
is no loss and Qatar 2022 equally so. Forget about them and let him work.

[Eirambler]

I also thought about the Travers switch. Maybe too big a call to make too early in Kenny's tenure, but no question I'd have preferred him in goal to Randolph in the shootout. Some keepers just aren't penalty experts - Given wasn't and Randolph isn't either. Travers once saved every penalty in a shootout in a league cup game - he's a big imposing presence on the goal line, would definitely have increased our chances in the shootout.

I think people are being overly generous of our performance and are overestimating the quality of opposition we played. That Slovakia team was the equivalent of Georgia and Macedonia teams we have consistently been able to handle in the past. There were weaknesses all over the field to be exploited and we weren't able to do it. It's a really disappointing result and needs to be a watershed moment for us, otherwise we'll never turn things around.

[NeverFeltBetter]

I don't think anyone here is calling for Kenny's head, and criticism of what happened last night shouldn't be taken as that. I'm wary of praising what I would only call an average performance at best, with its lack of cutting edge and midfield effectiveness. We have a number of difficult games coming up, so it's entirely possible that Kenny will still be looking for a win after seven, which is a very depressing thought, and bodes poorly for his longevity prospects. I can't see this team raising themselves to get at Wales.

[paul_oshea]

Interesting discussion on here this morning, its good to see balanced debate and not the usual positive spin nonsense regardless of the result or performance.
The general sporting or football public call out a poor performance but also they acknowledge a good performance when that happens - the odd time it does. The
mood is generally captured well as the presenter said on RTE last night. And the general consensus is that we had a decent performance.

I really think we have underestimated how poor slovakia were, and in the process over-estimated our own. The 60 minutes they dropped, and thats when things opened up for us
but you have to use the space given and we did do that in fairness. Their finishing was terrible in general and bar the midfield they did nothing. Their back 4 was
a new back 4 with many players not having played this season, yet we couldn't for 60 minutes fashion much or put them under more pressure. Slovakia dropped off as a
result and gave us space to attack the midfield. That won't happen in other games. They had lads who haven't played for their club all season and a sprinkling of slovakia/
polish/belgian/american leagues in their 11.

We are 300 mins with 1 goal, scored using a MON/TRAp/Mick type set piece setup, scored with a duffy head. We could be 5 games and 480 minutes without a goal from play.
Its going to be very difficult to pick up the players for the next two games. And i worry what kind of performance we have. For all the play we had and MCG dropping
we still dont have a goal scorer in the side, what if Long or Obafemi had got onto brownes(2) or Hourihanes chance. We need to accomodate an actual striker in our 11,
or else we are still going to be looking for goals. Kenny has a lot of work to do, and possibly changing his system here.

Barraclough isnt in the job long, Norhtern Ireland went 2 steps further than us, they scored away from home in a play-off and qualified for a play-off final.

I dont buy this building for the future, a young player in international terms is in or around the 20 years of age bracket, we seem to be thinking that
25 is still young and breaking through for ireland. Our player lifespan is much shorter in international terms for many reasons. So this leads to my
building for the future utter nonsense, we dont know what our team will be like in 4 years, we dont know who will come through or emerge. We cant write off campaigns,
based off some believe we will be playing super pressing football with tiki tika passing. We're a small nation, we don't have a conveyor belt of young lads coming through
that we can just replace so we will NEVER get into a position of going much furhter than a last 16 in a euros or whatever. Therefore this building is complete BS.
Barraclough didnt come out saying building or playing a way, he got Northern Ireland to a play-off final and potential Euros in Dublin.

The Travers one is interesting. I said at the end of normal time we should not let this get to penalties, that they had a big keeper, and i didnt really fancy Randolph.
To be fair their first 2 penalties were super penalties very hard and fast into the bottom corner, but randolph still got finger tips on one, so a bigger man might have got there.
Kenny is meticulous in his planning as we all know, but I sense he has a loyal streak in him which would merit confidence, and would never make a switch like that.

[Real ale Madrid]

I'd fancy Kenny more in the long term than Barraclough. Maybe that's just me.

Good performance last night. In the context of what has gone before anyway. We had 3 chances form 6 yards or less and if you don't take them then you can't crib about the result.

We still give the ball away too much and we need to improve a notch or two defensively but we are finally on the right road imo.

[paul_oshea]

Just one other bit i wanted to add, bar robinson and hte odd hourihane pass, we are still hitting the ball to slow between our players, when making the pass play it fast and hard to the feet so you move hte ball quicker and the opposing player doesn't have time to adjust and reset. Its those fractions that make massive differences, when trying to open up the midfield or do nice triangular movements of ball and player, removing an opposing player from the build up.

[Fixer82]

Just one other bit i wanted to add, bar robinson and hte odd hourihane pass, we are still hitting the ball to slow between our players, when making the pass play it fast and hard to the feet so you move hte ball quicker and the opposing player doesn't have time to adjust and reset. Its those fractions that make massive differences, when trying to open up the midfield or do nice triangular movements of ball and player, removing an opposing player from the build up.

I agree. For a team that were ultimately inferior to most of our players, their one touch passing was excellent at times and we could certainly take a leaf.

[pineapple stu]

We are 300 mins with 1 goal, scored using a MON/TRAp/Mick type set piece setup, scored with a duffy head. We could be 5 games and 480 minutes without a goal from play.
Its going to be very difficult to pick up the players for the next two games. And i worry what kind of performance we have. For all the play we had and MCG dropping
we still dont have a goal scorer in the side, what if Long or Obafemi had got onto brownes(2) or Hourihanes chance. We need to accomodate an actual striker in our 11,
or else we are still going to be looking for goals. Kenny has a lot of work to do, and possibly changing his system here.

While goalscoring is a big concern, it's worth noting (a) it's been a concern since Keane retired - 3 goals in two games against Gibraltar, one of which was an own goal, under McCarthy will show that and (b) Parrott, Connolly and Idah were all unavailable last night. They're still a little way away from being proven goalscorers - the law of averages probably says one won't even make it as a regular international - but it was still a definite handicap.

[paul_oshea]

I'd fancy Kenny more in the long term than Barraclough. Maybe that's just me.

Good performance last night. In the context of what has gone before anyway. We had 3 chances form 6 yards or less and if you don't take them then you can't crib about the result.

We still give the ball away too much and we need to improve a notch or two defensively but we are finally on the right road imo.

Ya Maybe thats just you, this is the kind of silly stuff expected on foot. At the end of the day hes achieved something Kenny hasnt thus far, a shot at Euros in a play-off final.

[Fixer82]

Also worth noting that Alan Browne was about 4 inches away from winning us the match too with the ball coming off the post

[pineapple stu]

Yeah, you can't really bring one-off games into a comparison when the margins were so tight. We had two great chances - Browne and Hourihane - and had either scored (and Kenny could do nothing about either) then we'd have won our match away from home and Kenny would have been better than Baraclough.

Doesn't make sense.

[paul_oshea]

I actually wondered why he took that foot to take the shot, but if you look again ,he was never getting onto it properly so no we weren't that close from getting it, it came back off the post from the far side too, the whole angle didnt look right. Not sure if we can blame him for mistiming his run or not, cos the ball seemed as good as it possibly could be from O'Dowda

[paul_oshea]

Yeah, you can't really bring one-off games into a comparison when the margins were so tight. We had two great chances - Browne and Hourihane - and had either scored (and Kenny could do nothing about either) then we'd have won our match away from home and Kenny would have been better than Baraclough.

Doesn't make sense.

And if duffy hadn't saved off the line, or the ball that just went wide. You cant say could hvae should have would have. We're not there, they are, and no ones saying who's better, that was RMA being sillly pulling out a one liner as if he trumps the point.

[pineapple stu]

We're not there, they are, and no ones saying who's better

It really does sound like that's what your point was when you said -

Barraclough isnt in the job long, Norhtern Ireland went 2 steps further than us, they scored away from home in a play-off and qualified for a play-off final.

[Real ale Madrid]

Ya Maybe thats just you, this is the kind of silly stuff expected on foot. At the end of the day hes achieved something Kenny hasnt thus far, a shot at Euros in a play-off final.

Congratulations to him and to them. But long term I know who I'd like to have as manager. Comparing the two's results last night as an argument against Kenny long term is nonsensical in my opinion.

[Fixer82]

I actually wondered why he took that foot to take the shot, but if you look again ,he was never getting onto it properly so no we weren't that close from getting it, it came back off the post from the far side too, the whole angle didnt look right. Not sure if we can blame him for mistiming his run or not, cos the ball seemed as good as it possibly could be from O'Dowda

I think given the circumstances he probably did as well as he could, keeper was on top of him, he couldn't get his left foot around it in time so had to let it come off outside of his right foot to get it under the keeper. Difficult chance to convert, despite being two feet out

[paul_oshea]

It really does sound like that's what your point was when you said -

How? Its the metre of measurement we are using, a defensive line being thrown out since the start about Kenny. I was using a simple comparison to another manager not long in charge (much lesser knowing for 2 years he would be )of a team definitely with inferior players than us. i was merely pointing out it doesnt really hold water, especially given how long he has to build up to this.

[paul_oshea]

Congratulations to him and to them. But long term I know who I'd like to have as manager. Comparing the two's results last night as an argument against Kenny long term is nonsensical in my opinion.

Again, where did anyone say long term? I've already made the point, and hopefully cleared it up so I am not going to go any further with it.

The other thing I don't like about this whole thing of rebuilding lets go for 2024, you can't discard results and then say build for the future, because you'll end up in lower pots and qualifying becomes even more difficult, so this whole concept is seriously flawed. Well done you play great football but now you've 3 teams ranked higher with better footballers than you to overcome - its just not going to happen no matter how you play. And you all know why it wont happen, because at the end of the day you need players of that quality. So if theres one thing that i really really hope people cotton onto after these 5 games is, it is NOT about performances and building to something, its about results and performances that will hopefully lead to building something sustainable. Otherwise I'm going to be on here again in 3 years saying this is what we saw coming.

[Stuttgart88]

I saw the NI highlights and from what I saw they did eff all better than we did, got a horribly ugly goal that had little to do with any particularly good play. Fair play - it's not a criticism, we thrive on those type of goals - but heralding Barraclough over Kenny based on last night is mind-boggling. Barraclough lost 5-1 at home in his first game. Similarly, Scotland barely registered a shot on target at home to Israel. The only real difference was that we took two poor pens, Israel took a poor pen not dissimilar to Browne's, totally telegraphing his intentions to the keeper. Bosnia the same. NI ballooned one over. Them's the breaks.

Last night's performance in my opinion was decent enough overall. Poor opening as we guaged the tone of the game, very good 20-43 minutes, very poor 45-60 minutes, very good after that. Some players were solid all night, others played well in parts but were poor in parts too. I am such a big fan of Doherty but if Christie had played like him last night he'd be hammered. Some of our errors and misplaced passes were maddening, some of our best play was great. If any or all of those 3 gilt-edged chances had gone in they'd have counted as among the best-worked golas we've scored in a long time.

I'm not that disappointed, surprisingly. As said above I think these Euros will be soulless if there are no fans, and Qatar is hard to get excited about too, though the qualifying campaign is, as they all are for me.

I think the rest of the year will be tough for us because we're in an awkard place where some of the experienced guys aren't old enough to put out to grass and the younger guys probably aren't ready yet. Could Kenny have been bolder? Sure, of course he could. Was some conservatism / pragmatism justified? Yes, I think it was.